Appli-ancing ourselves

At this stage we are seeing all the little jigsaw pieces coming together. Items we assumed would be chosen last actually must be selected quite early in the process. Like plumbing supplies. Or appliances.

With the help of our designer Laurel, and Matthew at Colony Appliances, we have made our choices. Keeping the bywords “sleek and chic” in mind at all times! The kitchen appliances will be stainless, the washer/dryer will be white.

Unlike a “standard size” house, we have to choose appliances not just for their look and function, but for their small size. Small appliances are recent arrivals to the major North American manufacturers. The ones we choose are actually from makers we were not familiar with.

Our gas range, gas dryer and washer, and fridge will all be Blomberg models. Blomberg is a European brand (not much of a surprise) that has been around for over 120 years, and is affordable (always a consideration with us).

The dishwasher will be in a drawer! One of the problems I’ve had in the past with dishwashers is that with just two people, the dishes sit around for too long before they are washed (waiting for a full load). That means they have to be really rinsed well so the food doesn’t stick, and then, well, why not just wash them? But with this one we can run it after just one meal. It’s made by Fisher Paykel, a New Zealand company.

The microwave is a Panasonic model, and the vent hood is by Zephyr.

It’s important to pick out your appliances at this stage, so that the cabinet manufacturers can build around them. If we chose a taller fridge (they can be about 60 inches up to 84 inches high) or a full-size dishwasher they would have to accommodate them.

We are chuffed to be able to choose what we need for our new home. This is the first time we have been able to choose new appliances, and we have enjoyed it very much!

My parents have a Fisher Paykel dishwasher and LOVE it for the two of them. They actually have two, stacked, and I don’t think they use the second one more than once a month, if that. If I didn’t have a house full of people who go through enough dishes to require the running of my full-size dishwasher daily I’d be super jealous.